Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate. I'm just gonna shop, shop, shop, shop, shop! On three floors!
Ever since my first visit to IKEA in 2008, I have been in love with this store! The room vignettes to help give shoppers not only ideas on how to decorate a room, but also how to look at items that Ikea sells and use them in different ways, to the sheer variety of styles offered....everything from ultra modern to Victorian inspired! And, dare I say it, the cart escalators (insert all the heart emojis here)!
Come here hungry and early-ish....you can get breakfast at the restaurant for REALLY cheap, even before the store opens! Grab a cart and walk around the third floor. Investigate every nook and cranny, because you do not want to miss ANYTHING....guaranteed that they have something you'll like and buy, even if you're not looking to buy anything!
Take the escalators for you and your cart (squee!) down to the second floor. Take your time, because this is where the bulk of the home decor and organization happens....the artwork, candles, kitchen stuff...OMG, ALL the dang stuff!
Hungry? Head back up to the restaurant for lunch or head down to the cafe on the first floor and grab a hot dog. FYI, if you get a coke from the cafe, you can take it with you throughout the store, whereas the cups from the restaurant are ceramic or glass and have to stay there.
Take more escalators down to the first floor and head to the as-is department for some super great deals on slightly blemished furniture and decor as well as fabrics that got separated from the rest of their groupings....I once got a wooden plant stand (absolutely nothing wrong with it) for $8, originally $20, and a flat sheet (that I made curtains for a fish tank stand out of) for $7. You're lucky to get a decent cut of fabric for that price!
Next, head over to seasonal for some outdoor/holiday inspiration, depending on the season, then head over towards the rugs and plants. If you want, park your cart in an out of the way spot and jog over to the grocery area across from the registers. You can bring stuff back to your cart and pay for everything at once, or you can pay for the pantry items at the cafe. Did you forget something, or was there something that you were hemming and hawing over and have now decided that you want? Check the bins in front of the registers, because Ikea has your back and put the popular small items right there for you to grab before you check out!
Outside all the exit doors are pick-up parking spots, or loading zones. Run to your car and bring it over to one of these spots for easy loading. There are always workers outside to wrangle the carts, but also to help you load the heavier items into your vehicle.
*Bring bags for the smaller items you may purchase. Ikea sells their infamous reusable blue and yellow bags for $.98, but they are pretty big.
**Sign up for their friends and family card. It doesn't expire or go dormant, you get special deals on items from week to week, and you ALWAYS get free coffee in the restaurant!
Now on to the serious stuff.....you have to do your homework, especially when it comes to their furniture. If you are tall, most of their furniture will not work for you because it sits so low to the floor. I would never buy a couch from here because of this. You have to consider your family/home life and style...if you have active kids and pets, their furniture will not stand up to the abuse that other manufacturer's stuff will. However, if you take care of your stuff and treat it right (no jumping or flopping on the furniture) it will last.
Their fabrics are not of the highest durability, but if you are the kind of person that likes to switch out throw blankets and pillows on the regular, then their stuff is perfect for you. Admittedly, I buy their sheets for my guest bed.....I don't feel the need to spend hundreds of dollars on linens that will only be used a couple of times a year and they still look new, even after several years.
Everything else is pretty durable, considering what it is used for....the cooking pots and pans, office furniture, lighting, home decor, etc.
True, Ikea is not for everyone, but they pretty much thought of everything to make your shopping trip enjoyable. I truly believe that everybody should visit a store at least once!
5/2018 read more